EXCHANGING BURDENS
Performance Notes:
- To help residents identify who is speaking:
- Speak loudly.
- Each cast member to remain still until speaking.
Characters:
- MOM: Loving, patient.
- JACK: Burdened.
- TRISTON: Oldest brother.
- LARRY: Middle child; joyful, carefree.
- MIKE: Youngest; playful, funny.
- If more girls than boys are interested in participating, characters can be adapted to be either male or female by simply changing the character’s name.
Props:
- Three bookbags
- Silk leaves
- Large sack (trash bag/pillowcase)
- 5–8 cardboard blocks labeled with sins/burdens
- In Mikes bookbag: Words written on computer paper – taped together to make a long single piece:
- JESUS IS THE WAY – THE TRUTH – AND THE LIFE John 14:6
- FREE GRACE
- EMPTY GRAVE
- GOOD NEWS
Scene 1 – Jack’s House
Setting:
- Jack getting ready to leave for school in the morning.
MUSIC CUES
“My Jesus” by The Yuns (Anne Wilson cover)
SCENE 1
JACK sits at a table writing on a block, Mom enters from stage left.
JACK: (Looking down, muttering, writing, sighs occasionally.)
MOM: (Enters with backpack in hand.) Good morning, Jack.
JACK: Good morning, Mom.
MOM: (Leans over Jack’s shoulder, curious.) What are you writing?
JACK: (Shrugs, puts block in sack) Just something. (Let audience see expression of burden.)
MOM: (Hold backpack toward Jack.) Jack, that sack is heavy with worries. Why don’t you take this new backpack to school today?
JACK: (Defensive, shaking head. Stomp your foot subtly to show frustration.) I can’t, Mom! These are things I need to carry. If I don’t carry them, who will?
MOM: (Softly, hands clasped, glance up as if praying silently, looking upstage) But Jack…
JACK: (Interrupts, exits stage right, hurrying, stumble slightly under sack weight.) I gotta go! I’m gonna be late!
MOM: (Stand center stage, looking up, whispering to God) Oh God, help him see he doesn’t have to carry these burdens. I can’t help him see, but You can. (Pause.) Thank You, Jesus.
Scene Change:
“My Jesus” by The Yuns (Anne Wilson cover) (Play the first part only – until the first chorus..”He makes a way…”)
Option: Mom to sing the first part of song.
Scene 2- Pathway to School
Setting:
- Fall morning, kids walking to school with book bags.
- Path lined with leaves on ground.
MUSIC CUES
Scene Change Song:
“My Jesus” by The Yuns Play Remainder of Song
SCENE 2
TRISTON, MIKE AND LARRY enter from stage left. MIKE running ahead, kicking up the leaves.
MIKE: (Run excitedly across the stage, kick leaves into the audience path.) Hey! Who wants to make a leaf pile after school today?
TRISTON: (Walk casually, pick up a leaf, look at it with awe.) Mike, slow down! Wait for us!
MIKE: (Toss leaves toward the audience, grin widely.) We could make it huge! Like a big feather bed!
LARRY: (Laughing. Arms out, spin slightly.) Yeah! A leaf mountain!
JACK: (Enters from stage right, struggling with sack. Muttering, struggling with sack.) Ugh… this is so heavy…
TRISTON:(Looking away from Jack.) Whoa—look at this bright one. (Hold the leaf up to the audience, smile. Step back a few steps, and accidentally bump into Jack.)
JACK: (Steps forward, annoyed. Shake fist lightly.) Hey, watch where you’re going!
TRISTON: (Holds hands up apologetically) Sorry! I didn’t see you.
JACK: (Cross arms, step aside, scowl exaggeratedly.) Maybe because you’re too busy looking at leaves instead of people!
TRISTON: (Friendly, step forward confidently, extend hand to Jack.) You’re right. (Pause) I’m Triston, these are my brothers, Larry and Mike.
JACK: (Slight smile, release hand slowly to shake Larry’s hand.) Finally! Someone admits when they were wrong.
LARRY: What’s your name?
JACK: I’m Jack.
LARRY: (Point at sack, step closer.) What’s in that sack? Looks heavy.
JACK: (Frustrated, toss sack on ground; block labeled “Wasted Years” falls out.) It is heavy! What do you care anyway? It’s mine to carry.
MIKE: (Picks up block, hold block up, turn to audience to show text.) What does “wasted years” mean?
JACK: (Snatches it back) Hey give that back. These are things I did wrong… regrets… You know! Wrong turns we make in life.
MIKE: (Open backpack, pull out large sheet, hold toward audience.) I have done a lot of thing wrong too, but my backpack is light. Want to see what’s in it?
JACK: (Surprised at friendliness. Skeptical, take a step forward) Umm… okay?
MIKE: (Pulls out a sheet of paper. Facing the audience, smiling confidently.)
JACK: (Reads the Bible verse. Confused, gestures to sack) JESUS IS THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE.” John 14:6 Okay… what does that have to with my heavy sack?
LARRY: (Step forward, pointing to sack) All that stuff you’re carrying is too heavy. That’s why Jesus came—to MAKE A WAY.
JACK: (Sarcastic, step back, fold arms, tilt head.) Oh really? How does He “make a way”? Carry it for me!?
TRISTON: (Step next to Jack, gesture toward him gently.) Yes. It goes like this: God loves us all very much. But the thing is; All our wrong choices separate us from Him. (Pause.) God calls those wrong choices “Sin.”
MIKE: Sin is very heavy. (Pause.) We were never meant to carry those wrong choices around.
JACK: (Looks at the sack, then upstage as if thinking deeply.) So God takes this heavy load?
LARRY: (Step forward, hand over heart, earnest expression.) Yes. Jesus gave His life to take away our sins—He makes a way to God when we ask Him to forgive us.
JACK: (A little more curious. Points to sign.) And what’s this “FREE GRACE”?
LARRY: (Smiling) We have all done wrong things, and we deserve the punishment. (Pause) The punishment is death. (Winces. Pause.) Jesus loves us so much, He died in our place.
MIKE: (Points to sign: “EMPTY GRAVE”) Jesus didn’t stay dead! God raised Him! So the grave is empty!
JACK: (Looking at the “Wasted Years” block in his hand.) Jesus’ death removes wasted years and sins.
TRISTON: (Step forward, arms wide open, smiling at the audience.) That’s right. He set us free from death, and gave us LIFE and JOY.
JACK: (Humbled, looks down.) Joy? I have so many regrets. I thought this punishment was mine to carry.
LARRY: (Looking out at the audience.) God will never turn away someone who asks for forgiveness. That’s the GOOD NEWS!
MIKE: He takes our punishment and gives us Joy and Life!
JACK: Joy and Life? (Throws the “Wasted Years” block on the ground. Pause briefly. Slowly bow head.) Jesus, I am sorry for it all… please take it! (Look down at the sack of burdens. Empty the sack fully on the ground.) (Pause. Look out at the audience.) I want to live for You Jesus.
Technician: Start “My Jesus” song where left off and continue playing.
All Sing
OPTION: Jack Solo Verse: (Step forward, hands over heart, eyes closed for emotional impact.) “Who would take my cross to Calvary? Pay the price for my guilty? Who would care that much about me? Let me tell you ’bout my Jesus.”